1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shoes and, more particularly, is concerned with the soles and innersoles of shoes for reducing shock to the user and would especially be applicable to tennis shoes or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shock reducing innersoles have been described in the prior art. However, none of the prior art devices disclose the unique features of the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,901, dated Apr. 2, 1996, Brown disclosed an article of footwear which has an outsole with a cavity in the heel region in which a cushioning insert is installed to cushion impacts and provide added lift to the wearer. The heel region of the outsole projects outwardly beyond the periphery of the heel region of the shoe upper to form a projecting peripheral rim. The cavity has an upper wall and a lower wall and a plurality of springs extend between the upper and lower walls at spaced intervals around the peripheral rim. Opposing magnets are mounted in the upper and lower walls in a central region of the cavity with their like poles facing one another to provide a magnetic biasing force which augments the spring load.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,194, dated Jul. 4, 1989, De Alessi, et al., disclosed a shoe which has a flat surface which can slide with reduced friction on a guide surface, means for introduction and distribution of compressed air to generate a supporting air cushion between the said surfaces, and a plurality of permanent magnets generating a force of attraction between the shoe and the guide surface in such a way as to cause the shoe itself to stop immediately when the supply of compressed air is interrupted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,553, dated Nov. 3, 1998, Huang disclosed a shock-absorbing cushion comprising two sheets peripherally sealed and a plurality of half-through holes and/or grooves whose circumferential walls constitute a cubic supporting structure shock-absorbing cushion has a hollow interior possible to be filled with air, gas, liquid or semi solid to change its inner pressure, and is able to be combined with one another to be applied to sports goods, shoe soles, etc., for protecting something from pressure or shock.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,198, dated Aug. 25, 1998, Pomerantz disclosed an adjustable shock absorbing device for a shoe having a horizontal stiff bracket fixed to the midsole of the shoe, a heel plate pivotally mounted at a forward end to the bracket and disposed in the heel portion of the shoe below the wearer""s heel, a spring biasing the rearward end of the heel plate vertically relative to the bracket, and an adjustment device for varying the tension of the biasing spring to accommodate changes desired by the wearer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,609, dated Aug. 4, 1998, Wu disclosed a footwear shock-absorbing device which comprises a main body, at least one shock-absorbing body having a plurality of cavities, and a pliable base equal in number to the shock-absorbing body for sealing off the bottom openings of the cavities such that the pliable base and the cavities form jointly a plurality of the closed air cells capable of alleviating the shock.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,028, dated Apr. 28, 1998, Lombardino disclosed a shoe heel insert, especially suitable for athletic shoe applications, providing for superior shock absorption and energy return characteristics to the wearer, as well as a high degree of stability. The unit which is referred to as the Spring-Air System, will consist of a substantially heel shaped outer spring mechanism which also serves as the internal spring housing by way of a plurality of internally formed projections, and a plurality of vertically affixed compression springs retained by the said projections with the springs biasing the outer spring mechanism. The entire unit will be filled with a pressurized gas and hermetically sealed with a clear, durable polyurethane material, which completely encapsulates the device while still allowing the inner springs to be visible. The assembled unit will be molded within the heel section of the mid-sole of an athletic shoe, or any suitable type shoe, during the shoe""s manufacturing process. The internal spring members will be disposed directly below the calcareous of the wearer and the transparent nature of the devices encapsulation will allow the rear part of the shoe""s sole to be molded in such a way that the system can be partially exposed, adding further novelty to the shoe.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,808, dated Jul. 28, 1998, Hockerson disclosed an athletic shoe comprising an upper mounted on a sole which is formed with a longitudinal channel that separates the sole into a pair of laterally adjacent compression elements which can move independent of each other. A rigid heel counter is provided in the upper above the heel portion. As the shoe pronates from the heel strike phase to the loading phase the compression element on the lateral side compresses to begin absorbing shock and moves independent of the medial compression element. At the same time the heel counter supports the foot so that the foot undergoes a more natural movement throughout the heel strike, loading and pronation phases.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,079, dated Jul. 25, 1995, Gallegos disclosed an athletic shoe which includes a spring interposed in its sole providing superior shock absorbency and energy return. The coil spring increases in diameter and is fixed between two spacers, wherein the spacer adjacent the largest diameter end of the spring delimits a space therein. During compression, the smaller end of the spring passes through the larger end and into the space defined by the spacer. The structure maximizes energy return and prevents bottoming out during compression. In an alternate construction, the sole having the spring is removable from the shoe portion such that the shoe portion can be fixed to a plurality of soles. The arrangement can be further revised to accommodate a hoofed foot of an animal. The spring can also be concealed in a hollow heel member of a dress shoe.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,776, dated Aug. 18, 1992, Levin disclosed a sports shoe according to the invention which has a highly elastic heel which reduces the shock on the foot during running and jogging. The heel which is made of a resilient, elastic material is in the shape of a strip which is arched in downward direction and connected to the sole at its front end while forming a longitudinal cavity with the sole which is open towards the rear end of the shoe. A spring composed of two leaves which are connected at one end and unconnected at the other end of the spring, are inserted into the cavity with the connected ends positioned at the front end of the cavity and with the unconnected ends close to the rear end of the heel, whereby the upper of the two leaves is connected to the sole and the lower, strongly bent leaf to the arched heel strip. The rear end of the lower leaf is free to slide or to roll along the rear portion of the upper leaf in accordance with the pressure applied to the heel surface during jogging or running, thereby largely increasing the range of compression and decompression of the heel strip resulting in more comfort of the wearer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,838, dated Apr. 24, 1990, Chang disclosed a sole with compressible shock absorbers which not only provides an improved shock absorbing function but also provides more comfort for the wearer. The shock absorbers consist of a polygonal replaceable air bellows placed in a polygonal recess on the forefoot section of the shoe and a cylindrical replaceable air cylinder placed in a circular recess on the heel section of the shoe. The air cylinder and air bellows are made of an integrally resilient air-tight material such that, during exercise, the shock absorbers absorb and then return the energy in a controlled upward direction, by way of the bellows-type body and the friction caused between the inside wall of the recess and the bellows itself. Moreover, since the shock absorbers can be placed easily by hand, the wearer can adjust the shoes in line with his weight and type of sport performed. The uses of the shoe are therefore maximized because the air cylinder and air bellows will continue to function even after the outer sole has experienced considerable wear and tear.
While these shoe innersole devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.
The present invention discloses an innersole device for reducing shock to the feet of the user of shoes as would occur with one who is running in his shoes. A shoe sole and innersole is disclosed having several types of shock reduction methods including: (1) opposing magnets with compressed air/nitrogen bubbles inserted therebetween; (2) inner shock absorbers in the lower sole/heel of the shoe; (3) multiple, e.g., four shock absorbers, attached to the lower sole and the heel cup; (4) a flexible middle sole having a flexible cavity therein containing water or gel.
An object of the present invention is to provide greater comfort to the user of the shoes. A further object of the invention is to improve the support to the user""s feet by his shoes. Another object is to reduce shock to the legs and feet of a runner and/or to reduce injuries such as heel spurs to the runner.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.